Verizon's LTE Mobile Phones Could Ship Early

4G handsets from Verizon Wireless could hit the market by mid-2011, about six months earlier than expected.

4G handsets from Verizon Wireless could hit the market by mid-2011, about six months earlier than expected, an executive told the Wall Street Journal this week.

Verizon plans to roll out its long-term evolution (LTE), high-speed 4G network by year's end, and could have compatible phones available three to six months after that launch, Anthony Melone, Verizon Wireless chief technology officer, told the Journal.

Verizon has said the first LTE devices it offers will likely be dongles or modules utilized through a laptop. Melone confirmed that, and said that full wireless coverage will likely take some time, so the first LTE phones will have dual chipsets that work on LTE and Verizon's existing network.

"Very likely, we initially won't have a single, integrated chip," he told the paper.

Chloe Albanesius has been with PCMag.com since April 2007, most recently as Executive Editor for News and Features. Prior to that, she worked for a year covering financial IT on Wall Street for Incisive Media. From 2002 to 2005, Chloe covered technology policy for The National Journal's Technology Daily in Washington, DC. She has held internships at NBC's Meet the Press, washingtonpost.com, the Tate Gallery press office in London, Roll Call, and Congressional Quarterly. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism from American University...
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